O. B. E.

Photo Engineer · Aug 7, 2009

Now who is touchy Andy?

No one can prove anything about altered history unless one can view alternate universes. Since no one can, I think that the subject is moot. As for your analysis, it is great as an SF novel. I suggest you submit it to Harry Turtledove. Oh, wait, I think he has written about 25 novels on the same subject.

PE

Andy K · Aug 7, 2009

It is historical fact that each of those periods in history were born out of the preceding period. Theorising is fine, so long as you stay within the boundaries of what is known. It is known that the pan-European wars of the Georgian era were a direct result of the war between britain and her colonies. As I said in my previous post if that war had not happened... so I agree with you, history WOULD have been very different. But in human terms not necessarily worse.

Besides, it was the OP who was getting all gushy about a Kodak employee being awarded the OBE, now, who was that OP..?

Photo Engineer · Aug 7, 2009

Hmmm, I was not gushy Andy. I was reporting an honor given to a very respected member of Kodak Harrow Research. I felt that the British members of APUG would be pleased to see his work properly recognized. I guess I was wrong to some extent. Sorry that you seem to think it was not "proper".

PE

Andy K · Aug 7, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
Hmmm, I was not gushy Andy. I was reporting an honor given to a very respected member of Kodak Harrow Research. I felt that the British members of APUG would be pleased to see his work properly recognized. I guess I was wrong to some extent. Sorry that you seem to think it was not "proper".

PE

Come off it Ron. You are old and smart enough not to put words into another's mouth. Nowhere did I say, or imply, that the honour was not deserved.

Photo Engineer · Aug 7, 2009

Andy K said:
Come off it Ron. You are old and smart enough not to put words into another's mouth. Nowhere did I say, or imply, that the honour was not deserved.

Andy;

Who put words into who's mouth.

I said that you appear to have thought my post was improper, not the award. No where did I say that you thought the award was improper, merely that the posting was "gushy". It was not in my opinion, but then, lets leave this to others. I don't care anymore.

PE

Andy K · Aug 7, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
Andy;

Who put words into who's mouth.

I said that you appear to have thought my post was improper, not the award. No where did I say that you thought the award was improper, merely that the posting was "gushy". It was not in my opinion, but then, lets leave this to others. I don't care anymore.

PE

Again you have ignored the smiley that accompanied my comment. If you can't take a joke... maybe if we had won the war of independence some americans would have a better sense of humour! <--LOOK, A SMILEY, THIS INDICATES A JOKE.

Sal Santamaura · Aug 7, 2009

What OBE really means...

The last half-dozen or so posts reveal a need in this thread for the true definition of OBE. It stands for "overcome by events."

Photo Engineer · Aug 7, 2009

Andy K said:
Again you have ignored the smiley that accompanied my comment. If you can't take a joke... maybe if we had won the war of independence some americans would have a better sense of humour! <--LOOK, A SMILEY, THIS INDICATES A JOKE.

I love "The Goon Show" and "Red Dwarf". Does that count?

I can even stomach "The Graham Norton Show".

Q.G. · Aug 7, 2009

Ouch!
I shouldn't have poked the embers. Sorry.

One thing though:

"If history had not unfolded the way it did, the world would be a drastically different place. Probably a lot worse."

and

"But then what I said is true, nevertheless. You don't make major changes in history without severe side effects."

are completely pointless, empty.

(As was pointed out too, because:
"No one can prove anything about altered history unless one can view alternate universes. Since no one can, I think that the subject is moot.")

Empty, that is, except for some sentiment....

Sorry to poke the fire even more.
But as an outsider to the historical conflict*, it is rather amusing to see how old wounds still give pangs sometimes. (Especially since we had quite a few of our own 'runnings in' with our neighbour across the North Sea).

* What am i saying! For over 200 years, we’ve watched our proud city evolve the wrong way. But the bell has chimed! The time has come for New York to be returned to its righteous owner: The Netherlands! (link to YouTube video).

Sirius Glass · Aug 7, 2009

Andy K said:
I post a light-hearted response, clearly indicated with a smiley, you and Ron have a sense of humour failure, and you reckon I'm the touchy one?!! It isn't me who is touchy. Seems like maybe I hit a nerve and some of you are longing for a return to the mother country. Just imagine it, you could be all grown up and civilised like us, Canada and Australia.

Without Roger Hicks here, somebody needs to jerk your chain occasionally!

Steve

Jon King · Aug 7, 2009

Q.G. said:
* What am i saying! For over 200 years, weve watched our proud city evolve the wrong way. But the bell has chimed! The time has come for New York to be returned to its righteous owner: The Netherlands! (link to YouTube video).

I like it!

OK, so the Netherlands gets back NYC and the lower Hudson River Valley, France, Russia, the Hawaiian monarchy and Spain get their bits back, leaving Andy and Co. parts of the south and the Northeast. (did I miss anyone? Native Americans - get it all back from everyone else in round 2 of this!)

I'm game. I'll start learning those 'other' lyrics to "My country 'tis of thee" .

One request though - if the Queen could hand over the administration of the British parts to Canada? At least they play Hockey, baseball, and (almost) proper football Curling is just a bonus!

AdClem · Aug 7, 2009

Suggest we all get together and resolve this over a tea party. Can't think of anywhere more appropriate than Boston.

Sirius Glass · Aug 7, 2009

AdClem said:
Suggest we all get together and resolve this over a tea party. Can't think of anywhere more appropriate than Boston.

Better a meeting at Yorktown.

Steve

Andy K · Aug 7, 2009

AdClem said:
Suggest we all get together and resolve this over a tea party. Can't think of anywhere more appropriate than Boston.

If we're going to have a tea party, lets at least have it in a country that knows how to make a decent cuppa.

Jon King · Aug 7, 2009

Sirius Glass said:
Better a meeting at Yorktown.

Steve

Just make sure the Brits don't go uninvited to Washington DC. Let's not forget how they trashed the place last time

Sirius Glass · Aug 7, 2009

Jon King said:
Just make sure the Brits don't go uninvited to Washington DC. Let's not forget how they trashed the place last time

They can get a bit rowdy when the drink, can't they?

[Can you say Manchester Football?]

Steve

eddym · Aug 7, 2009

Boy, this thread sure went to hell fast!:munch::munch::munch:

Bruce Watson · Aug 7, 2009

Andy K said:
As for 'freedom, the colonies were not enslaved or imprisoned. They objected to being taxed without being represented in the British government. Dodging taxes is hardly akin to being under a tyrant's boot.
History would have been VERY different if there had been no war of independence. The resulting pan-European wars would quite likely have not come out of that. The result would have been a more stable Europe, no Peninsular war, thus not leading on to the the Great War. No Great War would have meant no Versailles Treaty, no crippled Germany, and no seeding ground for the Nazi Party, no WW2 in Europe. Following that it is entirely possible there would have been no Cold war, no wars 'by proxy' (Korea and Vietnam)...

If you read what the American revolutionaries themselves wrote, *they* thought they were under a tyrant's boot -- there was a lot more to it than just unreasonable taxes. Your opinion, and mine, doesn't matter anyway. Clearly, the revolutionaries made their decision based on what information they had at the time. They concluded that their best chance for survival was to revolt. That they managed to play two European kings against one another to do it was just ingenious. And quite lucky -- like drawing to that inside straight.

The reading of European history I subscribe to is more along the lines of that famous Brit Tom Paine. The problems you seem to ascribe to America exiting the Commonwealth he instead lays at the feet of European kings. Kings are powerful by definition, and power tends to corrupt. This leads to wanting "more" which in turn leads to wars. European history is rife with kings waring against their neighbors and it precedes the American Revolution by centuries.

I'm just saying, it wasn't America that unbalanced the Commonwealth. America left because the Commonwealth was already unbalanced, and it didn't seem like the king would ever make an effort to fix it. And it wasn't just us -- at one stage America was 50% Irish. No, I'm not kidding.

Which is why my family uses color film instead of colour film.

AdClem · Aug 7, 2009

Bruce Watson said:
Which is why my family uses color film instead of colour film.

Let's call the whole thing off...

Q.G. · Aug 7, 2009

Who cares.
As long as we finally get New Amsterdam back.

ricksplace · Aug 7, 2009

Kudos to Bob Hunt. Thanks PE for letting us know.

To 90% of the rest of the posts in this thread WTF?

Q.G. · Aug 8, 2009

ricksplace said:
To 90% of the rest of the posts in this thread WTF?

Sense of humour?

Steve Smith · Aug 8, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
I love "The Goon Show" and "Red Dwarf". Does that count?

Yes.

Photo Engineer said:
I can even stomach "The Graham Norton Show".

Then you have a better stomach than me!

Steve.

Sirius Glass · Aug 8, 2009

ricksplace said:
Kudos to Bob Hunt. Thanks PE for letting us know.

To 90% of the rest of the posts in this thread WTF?

Entertainment between the technical posts.

Steve

CRhymer · Aug 8, 2009

Congratulations to Bob Hunt.

It should be noted that the Duchess of Normandy does not as a rule use the title when visiting what is now called France.

Cheers,
Clarence

O. B. E.

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